Degrees and study rights
The University of Eastern Finland offers degrees and postgraduate degrees in the following fields: pharmacy, dentistry, humanities, education, economics and business administration, natural sciences, medicine, forest sciences, law, psychology, theology, health sciences and social sciences. The complete educational offering is presented on Study at UEF site.
The main language of instruction at the University of Eastern Finland is Finnish and therefore most of the degree programmes are available only in Finnish. Students who wish to complete a degree in a degree programme taught in Finnish at the University of Eastern Finland should therefore have an excellent command of the Finnish language.
In degree programmes offered in Finnish, undergraduate students receive rights to study for both lower and higher level university degrees. The students first obtain a Bachelor’s degree, followed by the Master’s degree. In medicine and dentistry, Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees are integrated into a Licentiate’s degree in medicine or dentistry. It is also possible to be granted study rights solely for a higher university degree if the student has already obtained a Bachelor’s degree or another degree of equivalent level.
It is possible to continue studying at the University of Eastern Finland after obtaining your Master’s degree to obtain a doctoral degree. Some fields also offer professional postgraduate degrees, such as the medical physicist’s and chemist’s degrees. More information about doctoral education and applying for a study right for doctoral studies.
You can see the selection criteria if you go to Study-page and select a study field and continue through the link to studyinfo.fi.
International Bachelor’s Degree Programmes
The University of Eastern Finland offers four Bachelor’s degree programmes taught in English. Fluency in the English language is a prerequisite for the programmes. It typically takes three years to complete a Bachelor’s degree. Applicants will be selected on the basis of their application documents. You can find more information on the International Bachelor’s degree programmes on the UEF website.
International Master’s Degree Programmes
All UEF Faculties offer Master’s degree programmes in English. Students who have already obtained a Bachelor’s degree from a university may apply for studies leading to a Master’s degree. The Bachelor’s degree must be in the same or relevant field as the intended Master’s degree. International students are accepted to pursue Master’s degree programmes taught in English on the basis of their admission documents (Bachelor’s degree certificate, transcript of academic records, English language proficiency test, motivational letter and references). You can find more information on the International Master’s degree programmes on UEF site.
Doctoral Degree Programmes
Students who have completed a Master’s degree can apply for postgraduate studies leading to a Licentiate or a Doctoral degree at the University of Eastern Finland. All doctoral education is arranged as Doctoral Programmes. They cover all scientific fields of UEF and all doctoral students will complete their studies in Doctoral Programmes. You can find more information on doctoral programmes in Kamu and on UEF’s website on Doctoral School.
Applying as an incoming exchange student
Exchange students
Exchange students are non-degree students who intend to study at the University of Eastern Finland (Joensuu or Kuopio campus) for one or two semesters. These students participate in bilateral or international student exchange programmes (e.g. Erasmus+, YUFE, FIRST, ISEP, Nordplus/Nordlys, bilateral agreement).
An exchange student must have completed at least one year of studies at their home university in order to be eligible to enrol at the University of Eastern Finland.
Read more on how to apply as an exchange student and about studies for exchange students.
Visiting students
Visiting students are international non-degree students who intend to study at the University of Eastern Finland (Joensuu or Kuopio campus) for one or two semesters. These students do not participate in bilateral or international student exchange programmes (e.g. Erasmus, FIRST, bilateral agreement).
Students are entitled to official student status (e.g. student cards) at the university. Since visiting students are non-degree students, official diplomas or certificates, other than transcripts, are not available after the study period. Please note that studies for visiting students cannot be guaranteed in all departments of the University of Eastern Finland.
Visiting students must be registered at their home university and they also need to be recommended for admission by the home university. They must have studied for at least one academic year in a related study field. They also need to have a good command of spoken and written English.
Read more on how to apply as a visiting student.
Trainees
Erasmus training or Freemover training is suitable for non-degree exchange students who intend to do their traineeship (e.g. clinical placement, research work) in one of the departments of the University of Eastern Finland. The duration of Erasmus Training or Freemover Training is either one or two semesters (or in some cases a shorter period), but always a minimum of two months. Please note that there is a limited number of training options at the University of Eastern Finland, and departments are not obligated to organise training for the applicants. Please also note that according to the Erasmus regulations, the Erasmus trainees are not allowed to complete regular study courses during their training.
Before applying the students have to negotiate the training directly with the department they are interested in. Please also note that Erasmus trainees are not allowed to do regular courses at the University of Eastern Finland.
Read more on Erasmus training and freemover training